If They Choose, Carriers Crossing Zone May Now Inform Chinese Authorities

SEOUL—South Korea has scrapped an order to its commercial airlines to ignore the air-defense zone China declared late last month—Seoul's first acquiescence to a Chinese act that has soured diplomatic relations in the region.

South Korean Transport Minister Suh Seoung-hwan said late Wednesday that carriers would be allowed to decide for themselves whether to submit flight plans to Chinese authorities, according to a ministry spokesman. Soon after China declared the zone over the East China Sea, South Korea told its carriers...